Dual hydrogen bond donor functionalized hierarchical porous poly(ionic liquid)s for efficient CO2 fixation into cyclic carbonates.

The ratio of IL and DVB was adjusted to synthesize a series of poly(ionic liquid)s with a hierarchical pore structure and high solubility. The amide and hydroxyl functional groups, acting as dual hydrogen bond donors, worked with the bromine anion of the ionic liquids in the ring-opening reaction of propylene oxide. Furthermore, the introduction of amide also positively impacted CO 2 adsorption. Multiple active sites work efficiently and synergistically, showing good efficacy in CO 2 capture and conversion [Display omitted] • Poly(ionic liquid)s with dual hydrogen donor groups for efficient CO 2 conversion into cyclic carbonates. • The catalyst exhibiting comparable catalytic activity to the ionic liquid. • By adjusting the ratios of monomer, the catalysts with a hierarchical porous structure not only improve CO 2 adsorption but also facilitate the dispersion of the active sites in the polymer. • Combining DFT and in-situ FT-IR spectroscopy analysis discovers a plausible mechanism. CO 2 capture and conversion to high-value-added products is critical for the purposes of environmental preservation and carbon resource utilization. In this study, a novel class of porous poly(ionic liquid)s has been synthesized, incorporating dual hydrogen bond donors (amide and hydroxyl groups) and nucleophiles (Br-) as multiple effective active sites for the cycloaddition reaction between CO 2 and epoxides. The presence of dual hydrogen bond donors not only provides two active sites for synergistic catalysis with epoxides but also enhances the capacity for CO 2 adsorption. Comprehensive characterization has been conducted to elucidate the structural features and properties of these innovative materials. By regulating the ratio between ionic liquid monomer and divinylbenzene, a hierarchical porous structure favorable for the reaction was constructed, resulting in optimized catalytic activity comparable to that of bulk ionic liquid monomers. Furthermore, this catalyst exhibits remarkable structural stability with minimal activity loss even after five consecutive use cycles. Combining density functional theory calculations with in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, the catalytic mechanism was proposed that the dual hydrogen bond donors and Br- synergistically promote ring-opening reactions of epoxides, while amide groups serve as basic sites to enhance CO 2 adsorption during the reaction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]